Amidst continuing protests in several Ukrainian cities in support of pilot Nadia Savchenko, a Russian flag belonging to the consulate in Lviv was set alight, and the Russian embassy in Kyiv was pelted with eggs.

Appearing at an event sponsored by Ukraine’s Viktor Pinchuk Fund, former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told an audience in Kyiv that “the strongest foundation of democracy is not the government but its citizens.” (Ukrainian Service)

When a 24 year-old Dutch textiles student saw Greek beaches littered with rubber boats disused by migrants, she saw an opportunity to help, and with a designer friend, now teaches new arrivals to turn inflatable dinghies into cargo bags they can use during their journey.

The Interpreter’s Pierre Vaux dissects the prosecution’s case against Ukrainian pilot Nadia Savchenko, concluding that she shouldn’t be on trial for a crime, that might not be a crime, that she could not have committed.

Ukrainian experts are skeptical about the rumored appointment of Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko to replace Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, saying they come from the same system, even if they are aligned with different “clans,” and that a change of rules, rather than personalities, is paramount. (In Ukrainian)

The Committee to Prevent Torture said the two journalists and two activists were hospitalized after masked men with knives and clubs attacked them as they sought to enter Chechnya from neighboring Ingushetia.

Russia’s Ministry of Finance is seeking prison sentences for producers of Bitcoins and banks that handle them on grounds that Russian citizens and legal entities use the currency to launder money. (Current Time TV)

The state’s share of Russia’s economy continues to grow and stifle competition, increasing 1.5 times over the last ten years. Analysts say a more robust private sector could have helped curb the ruble’s inflation even in the event of another devaluation. (In Russian)

Leading Ukrainian economist Andriy Novak says mismanagement more than war is hurting the country’s export potential, which is currently limited to the export of raw materials and semi-finished products. (In Ukrainian)

Russian-French historian Antoine Arjakovsky explained a recent letter, issued by a group of Orthodox priests on the 70th anniversary of a synod subordinating the Ukrainian Greek Catholic church to the Russian Patriarchy, that calls on Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill to repent for his predecessor’s actions. (In Russian)

Various reporting and commentary, including a critique of the trial by lawyer Mark Feigin, who said if she was accused of war crimes, she should have been tried in a military court. (over 130k on Russian Service website)

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